NHIA, Roche launch innovation drive to end out-of-pocket healthcare crisis

… New leadership academy targets mass enrolment, others
By Chioma Obinna

To end Nigeria’s long-standing out-of-pocket healthcare burden, the National Health Insurance Authority, NHIA, in partnership with Roche, has launched an aggressive innovation-driven reform agenda aimed at fast-tracking Universal Health Coverage, UHC.

At the centre of the push is the Health Innovation Leadership Academy, HILA, a high-level capacity-building programme designed to equip NHIA’s leadership with tools to drive mass enrollment, rebuild trust, and overhaul service delivery.

Addressing journalists in Lagos shortly after a meeting of the Academy participants, the Director-General of NHIA, Dr. Kelechi Ohiri, declared that the era of passive health administration is over, as the agency shifts to a proactive, enrollee-first model.

“This programme is an invitation to embrace the unknown and see every constraint as an opportunity for innovation. We are moving from ideas to implementation. The solutions developed here will be embedded into our work plans and funded. This is about real change.”

The reform push comes amid growing concern that millions of Nigerians remain one illness away from financial ruin due to weak insurance coverage and high out-of-pocket costs.

Ohiri revealed that NHIA coverage has risen from 16 million to 21.7 million Nigerians in two years, a 35 per cent increase but acknowledged that the figure remains far below national needs.

“Health insurance is now mandatory, but enforcement, awareness, and trust are the real challenges,” he said. “When people are sick, they should not be forced to pay out of pocket. That is when they are most vulnerable.”

He stressed that expanding coverage, improving quality of care, ensuring equity, and building sustainable financing systems remain the four pillars driving NHIA’s reforms.

According to him, targeted interventions are already cushioning vulnerable Nigerians, including free emergency cesarean sections, fistula surgeries, and cancer treatment support.

“Over 40,000 women with life-threatening pregnancy complications have received care paid for by NHIA, while nearly 4,000 fistula patients have had their lives restored,” he disclosed.

Ohiri said the agency is also leveraging technology, including USSD platforms and digital systems, to make health insurance more accessible, particularly for Nigerians in the informal sector and rural communities.

“We must take healthcare to the people in ways they understand,” he said. “This requires partnerships—with communities, civil society, and the media, to change mindsets and drive enrolment.”

He warned that without collective action, Nigeria risks sustaining a cycle where lack of access to care deepens poverty and undermines national productivity.

“Insurance is social solidarity. Those who are healthy support those who are sick. But for that system to work, more Nigerians must be enrolled.”

With the rollout of innovation-driven strategies and a renewed focus on leadership, the NHIA is positioning itself for what could be a defining shift in Nigeria’s healthcare system, one that prioritises access, affordability, and accountability.

“In the coming weeks, Nigerians should expect a fundamental transformation. We are entering an era where the enrollee comes first, and where innovation drives how healthcare is delivered,”
Ohiri said.

Roche Nigeria, a key partner in the initiative, said the collaboration is critical to building a resilient health system and unlocking Nigeria’s economic potential.

Acting General Manager, Dr. Bolarinwa Oyedeji, noted that investing in healthcare is not a cost but a catalyst for national development.

“When our health systems get smarter, our families stay strong and our nation becomes wealthier. The average Nigerian is just one illness away from financial catastrophe. Expanding access to care is essential.”
She explained that Roche’s partnership with NHIA includes cost-sharing initiatives that significantly reduce treatment expenses for patients, particularly in cancer care.

“In some cases, patients now pay as little as 20 per cent of treatment costs that would otherwise be unaffordable,” she said, adding that long-term plans are in place to integrate such support into NHIA’s benefit package for sustainability.

They emphasised that innovation, digital tools, and leadership transformation are key to bridging Nigeria’s healthcare gaps, especially as the country faces a rising burden of non-communicable diseases such as cancer, diabetes, and heart conditions.

The HILA programme exposed participants to real-world challenges through field visits to primary healthcare centres, tertiary hospitals, and even informal sector hubs like Computer Village, with the aim of developing practical, scalable solutions.